Tag : lawn

How to Design a Beautiful Yard That’s Mower-Friendly

One of the good things about fall is we get to start planning our lawns and landscapes for next year. Some of us may be thinking about ways to enhance a plain lawn, while others are looking for a way to make it easier to mow around beds, features and plantings. These design tips will make it easier to mow, while giving your yard a more finished, landscaped look. •…

Serving Toro Customers Since 1946? Let Him Eat Cake!!

Harley Manke Owatonna, MN Harley Manke, proprietor of Manke’s Outdoor Equipment and Appliances, recently turned 70, and his wife, friends, and family threw him a surprise birthday he will not soon forget! Of equal surprise was the Toro® TimeCutter riding mower on his cake!! (You can watch the cake being made here). Congratulations to this special Toro dealer, whose store has been in business since 1946. Read on to learn more…

Restoring a Tired Lawn

Restoring a tired lawn allows you to improve your lawn without removing the existing turf. You will have the best chance of success if you do a thorough walk-through of your lawn checking both above and below ground. Your lawn is a good candidate for restoration if: Some grass blades are thin or have a yellow/green look. Turf cover is even with small areas of soil or wear. Some bare…

Six Steps to Planting a New Lawn

Planting a new lawn is a big job, you may want to tackle this in sections. You can begin by redoing the worst or most visible lawn areas; then make plans to tackle other areas the following year. Starting with smaller sections instead of the entire lawn keeps the job manageable and makes the critical step of watering feasible for homeowners who do not have in-ground sprinkler systems. However, whether…

Eight Steps to Restoring a Lawn

It takes work, but it is not impossible to give your lawn a facelift. Follow these steps to help wake up a tired lawn: Step 1: Remove thatch and weed buildup. The best time to dethatch is in the spring or fall when your lawn is thriving. Click here for complete details. Step 2: Fill depressions and level bumps. As you dethatch your lawn (Step 1) make note of bumps and depressions and…

Step 6: Caring for Your New Lawn

You have put a lot of work into creating a new lawn, so don’t forget the most important step. Plan for watering needs before you plant your lawn. Insufficient water and overwatering are the leading causes of new-lawn failure. Take precautions to prevent damage. Minimize play and foot traffic on new and sodded lawns for at least three weeks. Do not fertilize new lawns for at least six weeks. After…

Step 6. Aerate Compacted Lawns

Aeration, also called core cultivation, is an important part of any lawn restoration program. Aeration allows grass roots to penetrate the soil deeply, helps fertilizer and organic matter get to the roots, allows oxygen to reach the roots, and makes it easier for water to soak into the soil. Aerate your lawn once a year in the fall. Avoid aerating during dry summer months because you may damage an already…

Is It Really Lawn Disease?

The best time to assess your turf’s state of health is before mowing. As you pick up fallen twigs or remove other items from the lawn, you should take a careful look at any areas that appear wilted, off-color or stand out from their surroundings. If you do note changes, it might not be disease. For instance, brownout of a cool-season grass during high summer is likely just summer dormancy, which…